Reduce Post-Harvest Loss to Keep the Profit You Already Earned
Ko Thet Naing grows sesame near Magway, one of Myanmar's driest and hottest regions. In April 2025, he harvested 80 baskets from his two acres — a decent yield in a difficult year. He spread the sesame on a plastic sheet in his yard to dry, as his father taught him. But unseasonal rain came for two afternoons. He covered the sesame with another tarp, but moisture had already penetrated. By the time he sold two weeks later, the broker downgraded his sesame from Grade A to Grade B due to moisture content above 7%, cutting his price by 12,000 kyat per basket. Across 80 baskets, Ko Thet Naing lost 960,000 kyat — not from bad farming, not from low market prices, but from poor drying and storage in the fourteen days between harvest and sale. His wife Ma Khin Mar said it felt like someone stole from their house. In a way, someone did. The thief was preventable post-harvest loss.
Ko Thet Naing grows sesame near Magway, one of Myanmar's driest and hottest regions. In April 2025, he harvested 80 baskets from his two acres — a decent yield in a difficult year. He spread the sesame on a plastic sheet in his yard to dry, as his father taught him. But unseasonal rain came for two afternoons. He covered the sesame with another tarp, but moisture had already penetrated. By the time he sold two weeks later, the broker downgraded his sesame from Grade A to Grade B due to moisture content above 7%, cutting his price by 12,000 kyat per basket. Across 80 baskets, Ko Thet Naing lost 960,000 kyat — not from bad farming, not from low market prices, but from poor drying and storage in the fourteen days between harvest and sale. His wife Ma Khin Mar said it felt like someone stole from their house. In a way, someone did. The thief was preventable post-harvest loss.
Growing more is not the path to higher income for most Myanmar farmers — losing less of what you already grew is faster, cheaper, and entirely within your control today without any new investment.
Identify the top 3 causes of post-harvest loss specific to their crop and region using information found on their phone
Describe proper drying targets (moisture percentage) for their primary crop and explain how to test moisture without expensive equipment
List at least 3 low-cost storage improvements they can implement before their next harvest using locally available materials
Growing more is not the path to higher income for most Myanmar farmers — losing less of what you already grew is faster, cheaper, and entirely within your control today without any new investment.
Identify the top 3 causes of post-harvest loss specific to their crop and region using information found on their phone
Describe proper drying targets (moisture percentage) for their primary crop and explain how to test moisture without expensive equipment
List at least 3 low-cost storage improvements they can implement before their next harvest using locally available materials
12 learning cards · 1 quiz
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